Method of extinguishing fires in inflammable fluids



' Patented Oct. 3, 1939 mural) STATES METHOD or nx'rmcmsnmc Frans nv INFLAMAB LE FLUIDS Xavier B. Tansill, New York, N. Ya No' Drawing. Application January 26, 1939, Serial Claims.

' This invention is concerned with a novel method of quickly and eiilciently extinguishing fires in burning fluids, such. as' oil, gasoline, vbenzine, naphtha, kerosene, and the like.

5 More specifically, the method is concerned with the novel practice of immersing relatively large blocks or pieces of solid carbon dioxide in burning fluids of the above nature whereby the solid-carbon dioxide rapidly sublimes to form carbon dioxide gas which'bubbles to the top of the body, of burning liquid and blankets out the fire on the surface thereof.

An important aspect of the method herein disclosed resides in my discovery that, particularly w in thelighter inflammable fluids of which gasof line, benzine, naphtha, kerosene, and the like are examples, the blocks, lumps, or pieces of solid carbon dioxide when immersed therein sublime more rapidly than they would in the open air I at the same temperatures, with the result that large quantities of carbon dioxide gas are rapidly released. I v

As iswell known in this art, when large tanks of inflammable fluids catch fire it is exceedingly .25 difficult-to extinguish the flames. Because of the terrific heatgenerated it is practically impossible to get very close to the burning tank. 01 course it is of little avail to attempt to extinguish the flames with water. Attempts have been made to spray liquid carbon dioxide onto fires of this type for the purpose of employing the carbon dioxide snow that this forms when proper equipment is used. However this has proved ineffective because the rapid convection currents resulting from the high temperatures involved causes the light fluffy carbon dioxide snow to be carried away and in any event supplied in such small quantities as to be of little effect. Desirably, of course, the carbon dioxide gas should be released, attire-surface ofthe burning liquid and it is-clear that the carbon dioxide snow method cannot accomplishthis purpose.-

I am aware thatsuggestions have been made to submerge, as partoffi. permanent installation, pipes 1111011.: gasoline and similar tanks through which; carbon dioxide can be released in the-case of fire. The disadvantages of such arrangementinclude'such factors as cost and.

likelihood of failure of the system at the time it is so most needed. Such systems after being installed are often not' called into use for many years with the result that they are frequently not ready for use when required. I

Of course there are many many tank installations where no special provision has been made for extinguishing fires should they occur and it is an object of this invention to provide a novel method which is practical and which is available to fire fighting organizations in the event of emergency. I 6

My method consists in placing in contact with the burning fluid blocks, lumps-or pieces of solid carbon dioxide which because of their relative weight will sink to the bottom'of the body of fluid; I havediscovered that under such conditions solid carbon .dioxide sublimes very rapidly, releasing large quantities of carbon dioxide gas which bubbles to the surface of the body of liquid and issues therefrom right at the burning surface where because of the quantity thereof, 15 a blanket of carbon dioxide gas forms separating the fuel fromthe atmosphere. In addition, be-

cause of the extremely low temperature of the released gas and because of the immersion of the cold bodies of carbon dioxide in the liquid, the 20 temperature of the liquid is so reduced as to tend to bring it below its flash point.

I anticipate that many different methods of immersing the carbon dioxide into the liquid will occur to those skilled inthe art. I suggest, for 26 example, that it may be catapulted into the tanks during the fire, dropped therein from airplanes, or introduced into the tank through special trapdoor equipment which can be readily devised for the purpose. The particular manner of intro- 30 duclng the solid carbon dioxide'into the fuel is not the essence of this invention.

A particular-advantage of this method is found in ,the fact that solid carbon dioxide is available in large quantities at all important centers and 85 fire fighting organizations can be readily equipped to transport sufiicient quantities thereof to the scene of serious fires of this nature, thereby making available a fire flghtingimplement not heretofore employed for such purposes. 40

What is claimed is:

1. A method of extinguishing a fire on the surface of a body'of inflammable fluid which comin the fluid while it isburning. 2. A method of extinguishing the flames on the surface of a body of burning oil, gasoline, ben- '-zine, naphtha, kerosene, andthe like, which comprises subm'erging a plurality of bodies of-solid carbon dioxide in the body of burning liquid fuel prises, immersing bodies of solid carbon dioxide f h of fluid fuel which comprises dropping a vplurality of bodies of solid carbon dioxide into the burning fuel body.

4. A method of extinguishing a fire in a liquid 5 -fuel tank which'comprises catapulting a plurality of bodies of solid carbon dioxide into the bumof burning fuel which comprises contacting the body of burning liquid fuel below the surface thereof with a plurality of pieces of solid carbon dioxide so that the released carbon dioxide gas may bubble to the surface whereby the fluid is chilled, and the released dioxide forms; 0. surface blanket therefor.

' mwnsm. B. 'rmsmn. 

